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Stop at stop signs, area residents plead

This intersection at the corner of Line 36 and Road 180 (which leads to Hydro Station Road in Huron East) is a dangerous intersection, and a couple of Huron East residents are asking West Perth for more safety warnings to prevent future accidents both here and at Line 32 south of Highway 8. ANDY BADER/MITCHELL ADVOCATE

Eleven accidents over a 10-year span, most of which were preventable including those causing death from automobile accidents.

And two St. Columban-area residents are wanting to do something about it locally at two busy intersections that run parallel to Highway 8.

Jim and Janneke Murray appeared before West Perth municipal council June 26 to ask that safety measures be stepped up at some intersections off Perth Road 180 (Dublin road), especially now that the summer holiday season is upon us and travellers bypass Highway 8 for a faster route to Lake Huron.

Line 32 south of Mitchell and Line 36 just north, both of which run parallel to Highway 8, are common thoroughfares for drivers wanting to avoid driving and slowing down through Mitchell and Seaforth on their way west.

Twenty-three months ago the Murrays were struck at the Line 36/Perth Road 180 intersection after a simple trip into Mitchell to get groceries.

After spending 72 days in hospital and many more months bed-ridden at home, Janneke Murray still needs surgery to recover from being struck by a 45-year-old driver who, for whatever reason, didn’t stop.

“We were just driving home from getting groceries and our lives were changed forever,” she said, struggling to compose herself through her 10-minute presentation.

The Murrays thanked council for improvements that have been made already at one of the two intersections in question with a larger stop sign put in place, but rumble strips would be “wonderful” and a relatively inexpensive way to remind drivers that there is a stop sign ahead.

“It’s a cheap fix to a really serious problem,” Janneke said.

“Every time the OPP and fire trucks go out it’s a cost to your municipality,” she continued. “It’s going to be a heck of a lot cheaper to rectify these roads than keep sending ambulances, OPP’s and fire trucks out there.”

Perth County OPP conducted a ‘Stop and Look’ campaign from June 5-11 and a total of 41 stop sign charges were issued during this campaign.

The public is reminded that drivers need to obey stop signs to ensure the safety of everyone using the roadways, a press release from the OPP said. By failing to obey stop signs you are putting other innocent drivers at risk.

“I don’t know what it is, is it a sense of entitlement that you don’t have to stop anymore? In 2017 are we so self-important that we don’t have to obey any rules anymore? And I know signs and rumble strips might make a difference,” Murray said.

“Police have to maybe try harder but I know they’re pulling their hair out.”

Jim Murray also asked if West Perth could spread the word amongst fellow municipalities to lobby the province for higher fines for drivers failing to stop at a stop sign. He said the driver that struck them, clocked at 99 km/hr, received the maximum fine of $120 and the loss of three demerit points.

“Between rumble strips and larger stop signs and higher fines I feel we can nip this in the bud,” he said.

Municipal staff was asked to report back to council at a future date on the issue, the Murrays were told.

“The only reason we’re doing this is I don’t want anyone else to go through what we did,” Janneke added. “It’s summer and I don’t want to see anybody else get hurt. If we can save a life….”